A Bitter Sweet Moment

Whilst preparing for our Christmas Carol service last week, as Chris Tomlin’s ‘A Christmas Halleluiah’ played gloriously in the back ground, I found myself wondering how God The Father must have felt when Jesus was born. Yes, because of his amazing love for us, He must have been immensely happy that our redemption was finally confirmed. And surely, he felt great admiration and pride for his son’s willingness to sacrifice his life, position, glory, and majesty for the sake of his dearly loved, but much fallen creation.

But was there a little sadness lurking deep within? A harrowing sorrow and dread for the physical and emotional torture His son would experience?

In truth, my thoughts on this matter were a little strange, if not surprising, as I’ve always only considered the birth of the greatest man that ever lived.

Was I thinking a little too deeply? Or is this something God wants us all to dwell on during this festive period?

I decided to ask a few people the following question;

“How Do You Think God Felt When Jesus Was Born?”

Below are their answers.

“Well, everyone is always happy about the birth of a new child. But then again, God would have felt great joy, and a little bit of sadness, knowing what he would have to go through. Jesus was not just any saviour, but the saviour of the world.”
Mercy

“Both Happy and sad. Happy because through him, his most prized creation would have an opportunity to enjoy life eternally with him. This precious creation wouldn’t go into extinction, but would be able to enjoy his company forever. Sad of-course, because His beloved son would have to suffer great humiliation for this to come to pass. Of-course, he knew his son would rise again, so that to me wasn’t the cause of pain to God. It was the humiliation that he would have to go through it all because his creation had derailed.”
Dapo

“Having thought about it, I’d say he probably had a feeling of pride and relief. Pride in the fact that Christ offered himself to save us. And relief in the fact that the plan for our salvation was finally underway.”
Tosin

“God would have had mixed feelings. Joy on one hand, and sadness/anguish on the other side.

Joy: The people I created in my image will start to worship me in spirit and in truth. I’ll fellowship with them, and have a deep relationship with my children once more.

Sad: How can my only begotten son behold sin? Why should he carry the sin of the world? How sad that my only son will be punished and made to suffer shame.”
Abiola

“Delighted…he loves us….always wanted to be united with his people, make us free. His son was going to make it happen.”

Tola

“I think it would have been bitter sweet for him. Because of his love for us, he would have felt happy that his child, the saviour of the world is born; but also sad, knowing this only child was going to die some day.”

Esther

”Bitter sweet. He was happy becase he was saving mankind, but at the expense of his only son.”

Gbemi

It was as I read these deep, and thought-provoking answers that I started to realise why the Holy Spirit prompted me to write this message. But in order to give you a fuller understanding, permit me to take you back to a day I still often think about.

The day my daughter was born is without doubt the happiest day of my life. But I shall never forget the mixture of excitement and fear I experienced during her delivery. My fear stemmed from worry about the well-being of both mother and child. At first, after my little girl came out of her mother’s womb, I wasn’t entirely sure who to focus on. I was more excited and emotional than ever before about our daughter’s birth, but my love for her mother meant I was also very concerned for her well-being. So, I spent several minutes taking one second glances at daughter, then mother, then daughter, then mother, then daughter, then mother, until mother gave me the nod to focus on daughter.

We often make the mistake of thinking God doesn’t feel such emotions. But even in the old testament, the bible tells us on a number of occasions, that ‘God heard their cry’. And in the new testament we’re regularly reminded of Jesus’ compassion for those in need. The reality is, when we feel sad, God probably feels even more sad; and when we’re happy, God is the happiest and proudest father of all.

This is the time of year in which love, family, and close friends take center stage. But this message is for those that are feeling lonely, abandoned, regretful, fearful, sad, rejected, or like a failure. The Son of God was born especially for you. Therefore, you can never ever be a failure. For he knows the beginning from the end. If He could take time-out from his regal and majestic reign and splendor, to be born in a lowly stable for you, then He not only loves you unconditionally, but has great plans for you.

I conclude with one particular answer to my earlier question (How Do You Think God Felt When Jesus Was Born?), because it perfectly summarizes exactly what I believe the Holy spirit is telling me to tell you; except that I know for sure my friend has expressed it in a far more powerful way than I could ever have done. Indeed, as I write, it’s now very clear to me that the reason God put this article on my heart, is so that my good friend could give us all this particular message.

“Since God made us in His own image, I suspect we also inherited His ability for emotions. We’ve read in the Bible about God’s wrath / anger, God’s pleasure (happiness) “and God saw it was good etc etc.”

God’s feeling of disappointment, God’s love for us, and by that measure, God’s fear that we may become condemned to eternal damnation etc. So, in short, God not only gave us his image (tripartite beings), but it’s clear we also got emotions from him.

So, to answer your question I’m reminded how I felt when my children were born into this world. Extreme joy, hope for their future, a sense of responsibility for their well-being and upbringing, fear and trepidation about how this world may treat them, pride that they would succeed, and an immeasurable love that you never knew you could feel for anything or anyone – the love that completes you; the love that makes you realise you would give up your life for them without hesitation; love that makes you pray, asking God that your children must out-live you. I could go on and on.

So, with that being said, this is how God must have felt when Jesus was born as man, but because God is perfect, the emotions would have been without corruption. They would have been clear and intense without any waver or hesitation. You see, that is why it is said, “God so loved the world that he gave his ONLY begotten son…”. That, my friend, demonstrates a love greater and more pure than our own. His was a sacrificial love of the highest order, because I certainly would NOT give any of my children to suffer and die a horrible death for even a handful of sinners (that even worse, ‘know not what they do’). God’s heart was certainly breaking when Jesus was crucified. That for me is why Christianity makes so much sense. God made us, so he knew how to save us; and he knows what makes us tick.

It’s a very simple relationship between God and man. God the father, and we are God’s children, period. Everything we need to know about how God sees us is there. God bless!”

Deji M

This Christmas, let’s Praise and Celebrate Jesus, and also Thank, Bless, and Glorify our Father in Heaven.

If you’re feeling as though everything is going wrong, and it seems there’s nowhere else to turn, then simply say this short prayer – yes, especially if you don’t believe in God.

‘Lord, I don’t know if you’re there or not. In-fact, I don’t even know if you exist. But if you do, then I need your help. Please meet me in my moment of need. I don’t know how, but please show me you’re here for me.’

I wish you all a very merry Christmas of God’s Love, Joy, Peace, Provision, and Security.

Feelings are powerful. Not only do they possess a seemingly insurmountable force to hold us so firmly that we quite literally loose our minds, but they never actually disappear.You come across an old flame on face-book, and all of a sudden, feelings/ emotions you didn’t realise still existed, find their way to the fore.You bump into someone that had a knack for making you feel unsure of yourself…. Read More at ow.ly/nNsQ30ghfenwww.hisunfailinglove.org/2017/10/03/letting-go-chase/